FLOWERY BRANCH — The NFL is investigating the Falcons for tampering violations in connection with the signing of quarterback Kirk Cousins, the league confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday.
Cousins signed a four-year contract that is worth up to $180 million Wednesday at the team’s facility.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, the Falcons said, “Due to the NFL’s review, we are unable to provide information or have additional comment.”
The Eagles, who also are being investigated for tampering in the signing of running back Saquon Barkley, have denied any violations.
Tampering violations are considered serious by the league. The Chiefs lost two draft picks (a third- and sixth-rounder) and were fined $100,000 for tampering with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin before the start of the 2015 league year.
They were cited for “improper contact” before the start of free agency. Maclin played in Philadelphia before signing a five-year, $55 million deal with the Chiefs on March 11, 2015.
During his press conference, Cousins seem to intimate that he spoke with the team’s athletic trainer and the head of the public relations before Wednesday.
“There’s great people here,” Cousins said. “And it’s not just the football team. I mean, I’m looking at the support staff. Meeting – calling, yesterday, calling our head athletic trainer, talking to our head of P.R. I’m thinking, we got people here. And that’s exciting to be a part of.”
The league’s “legal tampering” period started at noon Monday and ended at 3:59 p.m. Wednesday.
Teams were permitted to communicate with, and enter into contract negotiations with, the NFLPA-certified contract advisor of any player who was to become an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Under Article 9, Section 1(b)(iv) of the collective bargaining agreement, “a prospective UFA’s certified contract advisor is permitted to communicate directly with front office officials (excluding the head coach and all other members of the club’s coaching staff) of any or all new NFL clubs regarding contract negotiations.
“As a reminder, no direct contact is permitted between a represented player and any employee or representative of a club (other than his current club) during this period.”
The Falcons were fined $75,000 and coach Arthur Smith $25,000 for violating the NFL injury-reporting policy before the club’s Week 7 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The case involving running back Bijan Robinson has been under review since a 16-13 win Oct. 22.
The issue regarding the Falcons was Robinson’s sickness/headache before that Tampa Bay game. Smith downplayed the inquiry pertaining to the league’s injury-reporting rules and said the day after the game that there was “nothing to it.”
In one of the more recent tampering cases, the NFL suspended Miami owner Stephen Ross and fined him $1.5 million for tampering between Tom Brady and Sean Payton following a sixth-month investigation that stemmed from Brian Flores’ racial-discrimination lawsuit against the league.
In 2023, the Eagles accused the Cardinals of tampering with defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. The Cardinals eventually hired him as their head coach. The two teams agreed to a settlement that called for the Eagles to trade the No. 94 pick in the 2023 draft and a 2024 fifth-round pick for the 66th pick in 2023.
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